AVP/Sr Director, HRBP School of Medicine

Oregon Health & Science University•Portland, OR

15h•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Vice President / Senior Director, HR Business Partner (AVP/Sr. Director, HRBP) for the School of Medicine is the senior human resources leader supporting the academic, research, and clinical missions of a large, highly unionized academic medical center. This role serves as a strategic advisor to the Dean of the School of Medicine, Department Chairs, Chief Administrative Officers, and education leadership, while leading a dedicated team of HR Business Partners aligned to the School of Medicine. This position plays a critical role in shaping workplace culture, advancing organizational effectiveness, and ensuring HR strategies align with institutional values, collective bargaining agreements, faculty governance structures, accreditation requirements, and the needs of a complex and highly specialized workforce—including faculty, house officers/trainees, researchers, and professional staff. The AVP/Sr. Director is a visible, trusted on-site leader who engages directly with leaders and teams to assess organizational dynamics, leadership effectiveness, workforce trends, and culture. Through close partnership and in-person engagement, this role translates institutional and School of Medicine priorities into integrated people strategies that strengthen employee experience, operational performance, and long-term institutional success.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
10-12 years experience in HR or related field, with progressively more complex roles
Demonstrated experience supporting academic medicine, healthcare, higher education, or similarly complex organizations.
Deep knowledge of labor relations, collective bargaining agreements, and employee relations.
Understanding of academic employment models and faculty governance.
Ability to lead through ambiguity and large-scale change.
Strong people leadership experience, including managing and developing HR teams.
Strong judgement skills in complex and sensitive matters.
Executive-level communication and influence skills

Nice To Haves

Experience in an academic medical center or large research-intensive institution.
Master's degree in HR, Business, Healthcare Administration or related field (e.g., MBA, MHA, MS HR)
Familiarity with faculty governance structures, academic compensation models, and graduate medical education.
Experience partnering with clinical and academic leadership in matrixed environments.
Professional HR certification (e.g., SPHR, SHRM-SCP).

Responsibilities

Serve as the principal HR advisor to the Dean, Department Chairs, Chief Administrative Officers, and senior academic, clinical, and research leaders.
Translate School of Medicine priorities into actionable HR and workforce strategies that support research growth, clinical expansion, learner experience, and academic excellence.
Provide strategic guidance on organizational design, workforce planning, leadership effectiveness, culture, and complex faculty and staff matters.
Establish HRBP governance frameworks, decision rights, service standards, and escalation pathways aligned with institutional priorities.
Maintain a strong on-campus presence, including rounding across departments, centers, and institutes to proactively assess needs and workforce dynamics.
Partner closely with Faculty Affairs, Graduate Medical Education, research leadership, and academic administration to align people strategies across faculty appointments, house officers, clinical associates, research staff, and unclassified staff.
Collaborate with the Dean’s Office and practice plan leadership on academic compensation structures, faculty effort allocation, research funding impacts, and compensation strategy.
Support department administrators with workforce budgeting, staffing models, and operational decision-making.
Ensure compliance with accreditation standards (including ACGME), faculty governance requirements, collective bargaining agreements, and employment law.
Partner with Legal, Compliance, and other institutional stakeholders to manage complex employee relations matters and institutional investigations.
Serve as an active, in-person participant in relevant collective bargaining sessions.
Partner closely with Labor Relations to ensure consistent interpretation and application of collective bargaining agreements.
Coach and train department leaders, chairs, and administrators on labor contract requirements and best practices for managing represented employees.
Anticipate and mitigate operational risks related to labor activity; support labor negotiations through impact analysis and operational planning.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of HR Business Partners supporting the School of Medicine.
Establish clear performance expectations, consultation standards, and service models tailored to a unionized academic health environment.
Build HRBP capability in areas such as labor relations, organizational design, workforce planning, faculty HR processes, academic compensation models, and complex case management.
Ensure appropriate HRBP coverage across departments, adjusting assignments based on size, complexity, and strategic need.
Foster a high-performing, consultative HRBP team that delivers equitable, consistent, and high-impact HR support.
Partner with Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Faculty Affairs, and Graduate Medical Education to advance engagement, belonging, and respectful workplace initiatives.
Collaborate with student affairs and academic leadership to support an exceptional learner experience.
Drive progress on DEI outcomes through inclusive hiring, development, advancement, and retention strategies.
Promote employee and leader well-being across the School of Medicine.